a rush of gas from the week-old corpse. We doctors, who have had
to study our dangers, have to become accustomed to such things,
and I drew back towards the door. But the Professor never stopped
for a moment; he sawed down a couple of feet along one side of
the lead coffin, and then across, and down the other side. Taking
the edge of the loose flange, he bent it back towards the foot of the
coffin, and holding up the candle into the aperture, motioned to me
to look.

I drew near and looked. The coffin was empty.

It was certainly a surprise to me, and gave me a considerable
shock, but Van Helsing was unmoved. He was now more sure than
ever of his ground, and so emboldened to proceed in his task. "Are
you satisfied now, friend John?" he asked.

I felt all the dogged argumentativeness of my nature awake within
me as I answered him:"I am satisfied that Lucy’s body is not in
that coffin; but that only proves one thing."

"And what is that, friend John?"

"That it is not there."

"That is good logic," he said, "so far as it goes. But how do youhow can you-account for it not being there?"

"Perhaps a body-snatcher," I suggested. "Some of the undertaker’s
people may have stolen it." I felt that I was speaking folly, and yet
it was the only real cause which I could suggest. The Professor
sighed. "Ah well!" he said, "we must have more proof. Come with
me."

He put on the coffin-lid again, gathered up all his things and placed
them in the bag, blew out the light, and placed the candle also in
the bag. We opened the door, and went out. Behind us he closed
the door and locked it. He handed me the key, saying: "Will you
keep it? You had better be assured." I laughed-it was not a very
cheerful laugh, I am bound to say-as I motioned him to keep it. "A
key is nothing," I said; "there may be duplicates; and anyhow it is
not difficult to pick a lock of that kind." He said nothing, but put
the key in his pocket. Then he told me to watch at one side of the
churchyard whilst he would watch at the other. I took up my place
behind a yew-tree, and I saw his dark figure move until the
intervening headstones and trees hid it from my sight.